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My Reward PointsSoap volcanoes refer to the soap making phase during which the top layer of your soap cracks up and the gel inside starts coming out. This not only affects the shape and form of your soap but might also reduce its effectiveness.
As a newbie soapmaker, you might find these details useful. More details about how soap volcanoes are formed and how to deal with them or reduce their intensity are shared in this blog!
What Is a Soap Volcano in Soap Making?
Soap volcano is an occurrence found during the soap making process. As the soap mixture expands due to overheating, it often overflows even from the mould and disturbs your soap making procedure. The overall consistency, form, shape, texture, and effectiveness of a soap can be affected due to this incident.
What Causes Soap to Rise or Crack in the Mold?
Several factors may cause the soap to crack or rise up as you set the soaps in the moulds. Some of the common factors are described below:
- Heat Buildup: Sometimes, excess heat during the soap formulation phase can be the reason for a soap volcano. As the top solidifies, the insides may still be hot and may flare up causing the soap to crack.
- Ingredients That Generate Heat: Reaction between some ingredients such as baking soda and vinegar may generate the heat causing a rise up or crack in the soap mould.
- Mould Type and Insulation: Use of excess insulation may trap the excess heat causing the soap volcano. Too tight soap moulds can also trap the heat inside causing a thermal reaction resulting in a soap volcano.
How to Detect a Soap Volcano Before It Happens
Here some signs that help you to identify a possibility of the eruption of soap volcano:
- Cracked Soap Tops: The cracks or fissures developing on the soap can be the first sign signalling the possibility of the soap volcano. If the heat gets released through the cracks, it may prevent the soap from erupting.
- Bubbling or Oozing: If the top of the soap starts bubbling or oozing a gel or liquid-like substance, the possibility of a soap volcano cannot be neglected. In this case, you may reduce the soap temperature by freezing it rapidly or exposing it to cold air.
- Puffing or Rising: As the top layer of the soaps starts rising, it is an evident sign that the soap is about to crack and erupt. You may press the soap with a spatula to ensure that it doesn’t get too messy.
Remember that you shouldn’t get too worried about these occurrences. They are a part of the soap’s natural heating and curing process. With experience, you will learn how to manage these stages carefully to prevent overheating and occurrences of a soap volcano.
Is Soap Volcano a Problem?
A soap volcano is not usually a major problem in the soap making process. It may affect the soap texture and may make it harder in the end. However, the soap is still usable unless you are using it for commercial purposes. Insufficient cooling is often the root cause of this issue. Therefore, once you understand the heat management process, it may reduce the occurrence of such types of issues in the future.
Simple Ways to Prevent Overheating in Soap
Some tips to prevent overheating in soap are discussed below:
- Watch Your Temperatures: Always monitor the soap’s temperature, especially during the formulation phase. Let the mixture cool down enough before pouring it in the soap moulds.
- Use Ingredients in Moderation: Using too many ingredients or using them in higher proportions may cause them to swell-up due to heat. So, it is advised that you use the ingredients in moderation to avoid any issues.
- Manage Insulation: While lowering the heat is one way to handle the overheating, using too much insulation can also trap the heat inside. So, it is better to use insulation in moderation to prevent the soaps from rising up or developing cracks.
If you are a beginner, you may use a melt-and-pour soap base to avoid these instances. Melt-and-pour process is safe and does not involve saponification. You just have to melt the soap base and add the ingredients quickly. This negates the need for overheating and thermal reactions are minimised.
What to Do If Your Soap Already Has a Volcano?
If the soap has already erupted, don’t worry as you can still follow a couple of measures that reduce wastage and optimise the situation in hand. You can reuse the erupted part in another batch i.e. it is still soft and can be blended into the soap mixture for the next batch. If the erupted portion solidifies or hardens quickly, you may cut-off the excess part and use the soap.
Working Safely with Ingredients That Heat Up
Follow these instructions during the soap making process to avoid heat build up and soap volcano:
- Add heat-sensitive ingredients such as sugar, honey, juices, or milk only after the mixture becomes sufficiently cool. Also, add these ingredients in small quantities to slow down the process of saponification.
- Don’t use essential oils that are not known to be stable while making cold-process soaps. Lavender, peppermint, and some citrus essential oils are the most preferred oils for a cold-process soap.
- As the soap cures, you must monitor the soaps closely. If you observe any inconsistencies, you may adjust the storage temperature or take some immediate steps to prevent the soap from erupting.
Conclusion
Don’t worry too much if your soaps develop cracks or start erupting during the curing or setting process. Just follow the tips and insights shared in the above sections to minimise the occurrence of soap volcanoes. Use high-quality and highly researched soap making supplies and ingredients to make your soap making process hassle-free. VedaOils is the best place to find soap making ingredients and supplies at wholesale rates. Visit their website today and buy premium ingredients for your homemade soap making adventure!
